In the capital city of Baghdad in Iraq, a series of car explosions alleged to be part of a coordinated attack killed a total of 54 people while injuring over 100 others on Monday (Sept. 30). Although no group has taken credit for the bombings, tensions between Sunni Muslim militants and Shiites have been growing.

Several outlets reported on the situation in Iraq, as the country is witnessing a rise of insurgency from the militants that has left thousands dead this year alone. The conflict within the country has been intensified by the fighting in nearby Syria, where Sunni fighters have been looking to take down a leader backed by Shiite Iran.

A report from Reuterssays that 14 car bombs were detonated overall, killing just a handful of soldiers and dozens of civilians. The bombings come just a day after Sunni insurgents went on a rampage across the country, killing 55 and wounding 135 others reports Xinhua News.

According to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, over 5,000 civilians have been killed with over 12,000 injured between January and August of this year. The website Iraq Body Count puts the death toll of civilians at over 6,000, with a staggering 1,151 killed in September.

Iraq’s Interior Ministry has placed the death toll at eight, with many reporters saying Iraqi authorities routinely underreports causalities due to sectarian violence.